Catalytic material for lighters



Jan- 15,' 1940- G. P. SCHMITT CATALYTIC MATERIAL FOR LIGHTERS FiledSept. ll, 1956 INVENT G R. @we Phu/,b .Smm/ff.

BY Ma MW ATTCQNELY Patented Jan. 16, 1940 y nTUNITisb-f s rltflif:s`Iiefllslv'r. ,OFFICE 'Y i oArALYTro y., .2,186,995 1 yMATERIAL FortLIGHTERS l George: Philip Schmitt, New York,- N. Y., assigner.' A

by. `mesne assignments, to Cardinal. Products, Inc., a corporation ofNew York lApplicationSeptember 11, 1936, Serial No. 100,297

. v, l 4 Claims.

v Thislinvention relates generally toY lighters yfor use in 'ignitingcigarettes and the like and `ernploying a catalyst which becomesincandescent in coa'cton with a va'rporizable fluid, in the presence ofair; and in particular, to improvements in the catalyst whichuheretoforehas generally been inthe form of a simple pill, pellet or block ofplatinum `black or similar composition with or Iwithout perforations frItis an object of this invention to provide' a catalyst for a lighterhaving one orv more parts so arranged andA constructed as to offereiective vand efficient means for the passage of the mixed vaporizableuid and air to readily reachthe catalyst body for rapid incandescencethereof.:l A further object of vthe present invention residesinthe'provision of a catalystunit for a flameless lighter in which thecatalyst has a plurality 'of blocks with gaps therebetween ex- "tendingsubstantially throughout the .depth of the 'unit providing'. passagestherethrough' for the vapor, theblocks beingl adjacently arranged withrespect to each other and each extending substantially the depthof theunit, the'blocks being -retained in 'said relationV in a holder.

The above and other'objects, purposes andv advantages are attained bythenovel design, constructionand arrangementl of parts, as herein' afterdescribed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, constituting afeature of this disclosure, and in which:

Figs. 1-4 are `horizontal sectional views of v catalyst for lighters invarious forms and arrangements enclosed ln a retainer ring shown insection.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a conventionalform of catalyst, enclosed in aretainer ring shown in section.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of one of the catalyst elements shown inFig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a top view of same;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the catalyst elementsshown inFig. 3.

Fig. 9 illustrates a holder for the foregoing cat*-l` alysts. y a

The catalysts herein described are employable in a lighter holding avaporizable fluid which is f allowed to mix with air admitted into thelighter. The vaporizable iluid mixed with air in the lighter coacts withthe catalyst to incandesce vor spaces therebetween, for the vaporzediluid and air mixture is thereby allowed to get between they elements orsections and to'more eiiciently and in quick time incandesce the same. i

v l'I'he sections or elementsA of catalytic V mate'- rial may be of any.desired and preferably u'niformshapes, such as, for examples,cylindrical, square, oblong or sectors.` t Referring more particularlytothe drawing which illustrate these examples, Fig. l discloses acatalyst' for a' lighter comprising a plurality of preferably mouldedsectors 20 usuallyconsisting of platinum black or other suitableplatinum composition. These sectors are contained within an ments due totheirA sectional curvature.l Other spaces 24` are `formed betweenthelouter lelelments and retainer ring 27|. If it is vdes'ir'e'd'to havethese elements in contacting engagement, semi-cylindrical elements 23'may be employed to act as Wedges between annulus2l and the cylindricalelements; Otherwise the lcylindrical elements may be loosely arrangedwithin the an nulus. Fig. 6 shows an elevational view and Fig. 7 a topview of one of the elements 23.

Fig. 3 discloses a plurality` of square tablets or elements 25 ofcatalytic material having the spaces 26 provided therebetween andextending substantially throughout the depth of the catalyst unit. Theremay be provided end pieces 21 each having an arcuate side 21' conformingin contour with the curvature of annulus 2l and a straight side'21"spaced from the sides of elements 25 as indicated at 26'. These endpieces may be of any desirable material but are preferably made ofcatalytic material or of a com-A position or other material which willreadily accept heat from elements 25 when the latter are incandesced.Fig. 8 shows a perspective `of one of the elements 25.

In Fig. 4 the catalytic material is disclosed as comprising a pluralityof oblong tablets or ele'- ments 28 arranged in spaced relation, thespaces being indicated by the numeral 29. These elements may be boundedby and spaced from sections 3 made of suitable material. I'he sections3U may constitute a frame fitting in annulus 2| and Within which theelements 28 are located.

Fig. 5 shows a conventional catalyst 38 having perforations 39 and isintroduced for comparison. It can be readily seen by comparing thiscatalyst 38 with those hereinabove described that the latter by virtueof the unique construction and arrangement of their parts produce moreeiicient catalysts, quick to respond to their coacton with the vapormixture. By having the catalyst comprised of a plurality of elements orsections with spaces, passages or channels be tween the elements, thevapor mixture may readily get to the parts and heat the catalyst toincandesce in much quicker timeV than if perforations only such as shownin' Fig-5 were used. Rapid incandescence oi the catalyst is necessaryfor rapid ignition of the applied cigarette which is always demanded.

Fig. 9 shows a form of holder for the catalyst. The holder may comprisean outer shell 40 having a center opening 4| in its bottom surrounded byan annular flange 42. Resting on flange 42 is a perforated plate orscreen mesh 43. On top of element 43 is placed the catalyst 44 which maybe any of the foregoing forms, and resting on the vtop surface ofcatalyst 44 is another perforated plate or screen mesh 45. Between theannular wall of shell 4l) and the catalyst 44 is wedged the annulus orretainer ring 2| having the top annular flange 45 bearing against screen45. This retainer ring xedly holds the catalyst and screens Within shell40. The wire screen 43 is preferably made of an alloy of nickel andcopper, such. as what is Egenerally known as monel metal. The protectivefront covering or perforated shield 45 is preferably made of .an alloyof nickel and chromium and which may be of the type known in the tradeas nichrome. The retainer ring 2| is preferably ymade of monel metal, orthe like.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specic formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and'Itherefore,4 desire the present embodiment to be considered in all`respectsasillustrative and`not restrictive; reference being had to theappended'claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention,

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. A catalyst unit for a lighter of the llameless type comprising aplurality of blocks of catalytic material with gaps between said blocks,the gaps: extending' substantially, throughout the depth oi the unit andproviding passages therethrough for the vapor, said blocks beingadjacently arranged with respect to each other and each extendingsubstantially the depth of said unit, and a holder for said blocksretaining the same in' said relation.

2. A- catalyst unit for a lighter of the flameless type comprising aplurality of blocks of catalytic material separated Iby-channels, thechannels extending substantially throughout the depth of the unit andproviding passages therethrough for the vapor to pass to the upper facesthereof, said blocks being adjacently arranged with respect to eachother and each extending substantially the depth of said unit, and aholder for said blocks retaining the same in said relation.

3. A catalyst unit for a lighter of the flameless type comprising aplurality of regularly shaped blocks of catalytic material separated bychannels, the channels extending substantially throughout the depth ofthe unit and providing passages therethrough for the vapor to pass tothe upper faces thereof, said blocks being adjacently arrangedwithrespect to.each other and each extending substantially the depth of saidunit, a holder for said blocks retainingv the same in said relation, andsolid sections of heat-radiating materiai within the holder adapted toreceive heat from the blocks.l

4. A catalyst unit .for a lighter of the flameless type having avplurality of rectangular elements' composed of catalytic materialseparated by channels, the channels extending substantially throughoutthe depth of the unit and providing passages for the vapor to passbetweensaid elements, and a vholder for said elements retaining U thesame .in said relation.

GEORGE PHILIP SCHMITI.

